This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119 from an application for METHOD FOR TURNING PAGES OF A MULTI-PURPOSE LEARNING SYSTEM earlier filed in the Korean Industrial Property Office on the 27th of Mar. 1997, and there duly assigned Serial No. 10777/1997, a copy of which application is annexed hereto.
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a multi-purpose learning system, and more particularly, relates to a method for turning pages of a multi-purpose learning system by allowing a user to select page icons displayed on a monitor.
2. Related Art
Due to technological improvements in electronics, many educational related learning systems for toddlers and children have been developed. The latest trend in educational electronics is to develop learning systems that provide high quality audio and visual stimulation while encouraging a child to use his or her imagination. Examples of such educational systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,603 for Electronic Educational Video System issued to Fong et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,759 for TV Animation Interactively Controlled By The Viewer Through Input Above A Book Page issued to Preston et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,665 for Interactive Audio Visual Work issued to Billings et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,409,381 for Educational Display Device And Method issued to Sundberg et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,610 for Educational Device For Children issued to Godfrey et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,517 for Electronic Drawing Device issued to Filo. Such learning systems are educational, yet maintain a child""s interest and are suitable for a small child to use.
Moreover, advanced learning systems as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,995 for Interactive Story Book And Graphics Tablet Apparatus And Methods For Operating The Same issued to Sharpe, III et al., have incorporated multi-media technology to conventional story books and electronic books as disclosed, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,390 for Educational Book-Like Toy issued to Manger, U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,246 for Sound Illustrated Book Having Page Indicator Circuit issued to Jeng, U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,575 for Electronic Book issued to McTaggart. Some learning systems contain capability to output audio/video (A/V) signals through an A/V unit, like a television, for children to watch and listen to the sound of the book that they are reading. Moreover, such systems are interactive using touch-screen technology. Therefore, when the child selects a certain picture icon, the related A/V representations will be audibly and visually provided through the television. For example, when a child selects a specific scene from a story book, the child can see the corresponding picture and listen to the sound of the story. Since such systems interestingly incorporate story book pictures and A/V representations through the television or any other A/V units, children can enhance their learning by actively interacting with such machines. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,995 issued to Sharpe, III et al., discloses an interactive learning system that contains a picture book with picture icons. When an icon is selected by a child, a corresponding video is displayed on an audio/visual equipment. In many advanced multi-purpose learning systems, lessons are available in interchangeable educational packages to maintain the child""s interest as well as enhance the child""s ability in different aspects of development, such as writing, drawing, and communication skills.
Contemporary multi-purpose learning systems, as I have observed however, are limited to the number of pages of the picture book available as well as the number of page sensors installed in the main body for turning pages. As a result, extension in the availability of pages and the turning of those pages in multi-purpose learning systems are desirable.
Accordingly, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved multipurpose learning system and a method for turning pages of a picture book package.
It is also an object to provide a multi-purpose learning system comprising a picture book package having a memory to store multi-media information in multiple pages; a main body having controllers for reading multi-media information stored from the memory; and an A/V output system having a monitor and a speaker to provide A/V signals representations processed by the controllers.
It is further an object to provide a method for turning pages in a multi-purpose learning system by providing a server display and a starting display where a number of page icons are displayed in a predetermined position to be selected to turn as many pages as programmed in the picture book package.
These and other objects of the present invention can be achieved by a multi-purpose learning system which includes a picture book package in a form of a cassette having a memory, a main body having a number of controllers for reading data stored in said memory, an audio/video output unit having a monitor and a speaker for outputting audio and video signals processed by said controllers, and a process of turning pages of the picture book package comprising steps of: setting a book having a number of pages each containing pictures and related picture icons for user selection and interaction with the multi-purpose learning system; setting the controllers of said main body to a standby mode; providing a visual display of a starting display having page icons via the audio/video output unit which can be selected by the user to turn pages for interaction with the multi-purpose learning system; determining whether one of the page icons displayed on the starting display is selected by the user; and providing a visual display of corresponding server display data of the selected page via the audio/video output unit.
The present invention is more specifically described in the following paragraphs by reference to the drawings attached only by way of example.